Stanley Cup: Hurricanes and Oilers, 2006Jim McIsaac/Getty ImagesLeague membership rose to 10, then dropped, and held steady at 6 after 1942. (Those teams—the Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, and Toronto Maple Leafs—are referred to as the “Original Six,” and that era has been celebrated by the hockey press and fans for generations.) After various periods of expansion and reorganization, the NHL consisted of 30 teams in two conferences and four divisions after a realignment in 2013.

At the end of the league’s regular season, eight teams from each conference—the top three teams in each division and two wild-card teams with the best remaining records, regardless of divisional affiliation—qualify for the play-offs. The champions of each conference then compete in a best-of-seven series for possession of the Stanley Cup.

The table provides a list of Stanley Cup champions.

The Stanley Cup

season

winner

runner-up

games

1892–93

Montreal Amateur Athletic Association

1893–94

Montreal Amateur Athletic Association

1894–95

Montreal Victorias

1895–96

Winnipeg Victorias (Feb.) Montreal Victorias (Dec.)

1896–97

Montreal Victorias

1897–98

Montreal Victorias

1898–99

Montreal Shamrocks

1899–1900

Montreal Shamrocks

1900–01

Winnipeg Victorias

1901–02

Montreal Amateur Athletic Association

1902–03

Ottawa Silver Seven

1903–04

Ottawa Silver Seven

1904–05

Ottawa Silver Seven

1905–06

Montreal Wanderers

1906–07

Kenora Thistles (Jan.) Montreal Wanderers (March)

1907–08

Montreal Wanderers

1908–09

Ottawa Senators

1909–10

Montreal Wanderers

1910–11

Ottawa Senators

1911–12

Quebec Bulldogs

1912–13*

Quebec Bulldogs

1913–14

Toronto Blueshirts

1914–15

Vancouver Millionaires

1915–16

Montreal Canadiens

1916–17

Seattle Metropolitans

1917–18

Toronto Arenas

Vancouver Millionaires

3–2

1918–19

no decision**

1919–20

Ottawa Senators

Seattle Metropolitans

3–2

1920–21

Ottawa Senators

Vancouver Millionaires

3–2

1921–22

Toronto St. Pats

Vancouver Millionaires

3–2

1922–23

Ottawa Senators

Edmonton

2–0

1923–24

Montreal Canadiens

Calgary

2–0

1924–25

Victoria Cougars

Montreal Canadiens

3–1

1925–26

Montreal Maroons

Victoria Cougars

3–1

1926–27

Ottawa Senators

Boston Bruins

2–0

1927–28

New York Rangers

Montreal Maroons

3–2

1928–29

Boston Bruins

New York Rangers

2–0

1929–30

Montreal Canadiens

Boston Bruins

2–0

1930–31

Montreal Canadiens

Chicago Black Hawks

3–2

1931–32

Toronto Maple Leafs

New York Rangers

3–0

1932–33

New York Rangers

Toronto Maple Leafs

3–1

1933–34

Chicago Black Hawks

Detroit Red Wings

3–1

1934–35

Montreal Maroons

Toronto Maple Leafs

3–0

1935–36

Detroit Red Wings

Toronto Maple Leafs

3–1

1936–37

Detroit Red Wings

New York Rangers

3–2

1937–38

Chicago Black Hawks

Toronto Maple Leafs

3–1

1938–39

Boston Bruins

Toronto Maple Leafs

4–1

1939–40

New York Rangers

Toronto Maple Leafs

4–2

1940–41

Boston Bruins

Detroit Red Wings

4–0

1941–42

Toronto Maple Leafs

Detroit Red Wings

4–3

1942–43

Detroit Red Wings

Boston Bruins

4–0

1943–44

Montreal Canadiens

Chicago Black Hawks

4–0

1944–45

Toronto Maple Leafs

Detroit Red Wings

4–3

1945–46

Montreal Canadiens

Boston Bruins

4–1

1946–47

Toronto Maple Leafs

Montreal Canadiens

4–2

1947–48

Toronto Maple Leafs

Detroit Red Wings

4–0

1948–49

Toronto Maple Leafs

Detroit Red Wings

4–0

1949–50

Detroit Red Wings

New York Rangers

4–3

1950–51

Toronto Maple Leafs

Montreal Canadiens

4–1

1951–52

Detroit Red Wings

Montreal Canadiens

4–0

1952–53

Montreal Canadiens

Boston Bruins

4–1

1953–54

Detroit Red Wings

Montreal Canadiens

4–3

1954–55

Detroit Red Wings

Montreal Canadiens

4–3

1955–56

Montreal Canadiens

Detroit Red Wings

4–1

1956–57

Montreal Canadiens

Boston Bruins

4–1

1957–58

Montreal Canadiens

Boston Bruins

4–2

1958–59

Montreal Canadiens

Toronto Maple Leafs

4–1

1959–60

Montreal Canadiens

Toronto Maple Leafs

4–0

1960–61

Chicago Black Hawks

Detroit Red Wings

4–2

1961–62

Toronto Maple Leafs

Chicago Black Hawks

4–2

1962–63

Toronto Maple Leafs

Detroit Red Wings

4–1

1963–64

Toronto Maple Leafs

Detroit Red Wings

4–3

1964–65

Montreal Canadiens

Chicago Black Hawks

4–3

1965–66

Montreal Canadiens

Detroit Red Wings

4–2

1966–67

Toronto Maple Leafs

Montreal Canadiens

4–2

1967–68

Montreal Canadiens

St. Louis Blues

4–0

1968–69

Montreal Canadiens

St. Louis Blues

4–0

1969–70

Boston Bruins

St. Louis Blues

4–0

1970–71

Montreal Canadiens

Chicago Black Hawks

4–3

1971–72

Boston Bruins

New York Rangers

4–2

1972–73

Montreal Canadiens

Chicago Black Hawks

4–2

1973–74

Philadelphia Flyers

Boston Bruins

4–2

1974–75

Philadelphia Flyers

Buffalo Sabres

4–2

1975–76

Montreal Canadiens

Philadelphia Flyers

4–0

1976–77

Montreal Canadiens

Boston Bruins

4–0

1977–78

Montreal Canadiens

Boston Bruins

4–2

1978–79

Montreal Canadiens

New York Rangers

4–1

1979–80

New York Islanders

Philadelphia Flyers

4–2

1980–81

New York Islanders

Minnesota North Stars

4–1

1981–82

New York Islanders

Vancouver Canucks

4–0

1982–83

New York Islanders

Edmonton Oilers

4–0

1983–84

Edmonton Oilers

New York Islanders

4–1

1984–85

Edmonton Oilers

Philadelphia Flyers

4–1

1985–86

Montreal Canadiens

Calgary Flames

4–1

1986–87

Edmonton Oilers

Philadelphia Flyers

4–3

1987–88

Edmonton Oilers

Boston Bruins

4–0

1988–89

Calgary Flames

Montreal Canadiens

4–2

1989–90

Edmonton Oilers

Boston Bruins

4–1

1990–91

Pittsburgh Penguins

Minnesota North Stars

4–2

1991–92

Pittsburgh Penguins

Chicago Blackhawks

4–0

1992–93

Montreal Canadiens

Los Angeles Kings

4–1

1993–94

New York Rangers

Vancouver Canucks

4–3

1994–95

New Jersey Devils

Detroit Red Wings

4–0

1995–96

Colorado Avalanche

Florida Panthers

4–0

1996–97

Detroit Red Wings

Philadelphia Flyers

4–0

1997–98

Detroit Red Wings

Washington Capitals

4–0

1998–99

Dallas Stars

Buffalo Sabres

4–2

1999–2000

New Jersey Devils

Dallas Stars

4–2

2000–01

Colorado Avalanche

New Jersey Devils

4–3

2001–02

Detroit Red Wings

Carolina Hurricanes

4–1

2002–03

New Jersey Devils

Anaheim Mighty Ducks

4–3

2003–04

Tampa Bay Lightning

Calgary Flames

4–3

2004–05

canceled due to labour dispute

2005–06

Carolina Hurricanes

Edmonton Oilers

4–3

2006–07

Anaheim Ducks

Ottawa Senators

4–1

2007–08

Detroit Red Wings

Pittsburgh Penguins

4–2

2008–09

Pittsburgh Penguins

Detroit Red Wings

4–3

2009–10

Chicago Blackhawks

Philadelphia Flyers

4–2

2010–11

Boston Bruins

Vancouver Canucks

4–3

2011–12

Los Angeles Kings

New Jersey Devils

4–2

2012–13

Chicago Blackhawks

Boston Bruins

4–2

2013–14

Los Angeles Kings

New York Rangers

4–1

2014–15

Chicago Blackhawks

Tampa Bay Lightning

4–2

*Though Victoria defeated Quebec in challenge games, Victoria’s win was not officially recognized. **Series called because of flu epidemic.

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